Bottle-case.



T. L. VALERIUS.

BOTTLE CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13 Patented Sept. 29

4 To all whom it' may concern:

THEODORE L. VALERIUS, 0F FORT PACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, or

f BOTTLE-o efin;

Be it known that I, THEODORE L.

s art to which it appertains to make and se the same.

My invention relates to bottle ho -"means or crates, and has s ecial reference to improvements in portab e bottle-casesyqi. crates, such as aroused by milkmen porting bottles of milk and cream. v

The object of the invention is toprovide a bottles an particularly for milk bottles,'and the special object of the invention is to provide a bottle case of such construction that? bottles once placed therein may be readily fromfallin'g out when secured and prevented thecase is inverted.-

I attain these objects abottle eastr:

the construction and combination of. the parts hereinafterdes'cribe' V and particularly pointed out in the claims;

The invention briefly described, comprises a bottle case or crate, chiefly characterized by movable bottle locking devices, which are permanent parts of the case and which being turned to one position permit bottles to be placed in or removed from the case, and bemg moved into another position, securely lock or fasten all the bottles contained in the case.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to accompanying drawing forming which Figure 1 is a plan view of a bottle case embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is avertical lon itudinal section thereof on'the line a:-w of ig. 1. tion on the line c -y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the, manner of securing a bottle between two locking devices. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the locking end of one of the ,locking devicesor members; and, Fig. 6'is a detailed sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fi 5.

My bottle case as herein s own is, I believe. of novel construction throughout, and while v my invention is not limited to a bottle case specincationofnettera retest, Application a 13, 190s. 'ssu N.,2a,19 j

, VALE- mus, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Fort Atkinson, Jefierson countyg trans} 'ceive thLem. After the ro a part of this specification, and in" Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical secs" AT INSON,- W sconsin, Assienon' n -cREAMERY CHICAGO, rL no s, A 'IQOBjPOBKTION or rumors.

fratshtu Sept. 29, 1908.

of the precise constriictio'n illustrated an nnderstanding of theinv'ention as a whole wil l' be .facilitated by a des'cri' tion of all: f the" details of its preferred em odiment. 1 In carrying out my invention Ifor-In the sides and ends, 2'2, 'and'33, fromlwide beted at the ends to join the end pieces 3,-

and the corners are strengthened by metal angle mg is divi partitions, 5, of about one-half the height of late, 4. Y The 0 en case thus formed ed longitudina y-by one or more low the case, and secured at their ends by nails driven throu h the-end pieces, 3'3.; For dividing the ongitudinal spaces formed by g the partitions within the case, I employ pairs light, simple and durable caseor crate for i ndhaving thelriends secured in the side :1 Piee "I'f'prefer that the ends of the rods 6-6, a shall be riveted'over washers which are countersunkin'the sides of the case as shown in Fig. 3. The riveting of the rods serves to bind the sides, '22, upon the ends $.of the case. ,The artitionsy-', and pairs of rods, 6, together tle case into a plurality-o square bottle spaces, each adapted to J-If'eceive a bottle, as

indicated by dottedli-nej rin Fig. 3.

'7-7, are xbottle' snpporting or bottom rods. These aregpreferably of' wood, and

"the lower portions of the sides, 2, and of the boards. The side boards are preferably rabvide the lower, art of the-botpartitions, 5, are bored orv erforated, to rethe bottles when 'a filled case is thrown or dropped on the floor. g

I have here illustrated a-bottle case that .is adapted to contain twelve milk bottles,

but it is obvious that my crate may be divided into any number of compartments by increasing or decreasing the number of partitions, 5, and pairs of rods, 6, with suitable complementarybottom rods, 7, one for each transverse row of'bottle s aces; These bottle cases are intended to, e piled one upon another and'to prevent the breaking of ot tles, I make the case'of greater height than the. bottles, the tops of the latter being below the top of the case, as indicated in Fig. 3, It frequently happens that casesfilled with bottles are inverted, either b accident or by intent, and to hold the bottfes firmly in the case at suchtimes, I equip the case with looking devices. These are preferably ermanent, non-removable members contained within the case and ada ted to engage the necks and shoulders of all the bottles in the case. From a number of different embodiments of this portion of my invention, I have selected the locking device illustrated in the drawing as in every way best suited to the purpose. This form of the device comprises a metal bar or light, narrow frame arranged within the case above the low partition therein and-extending from end to end of the bot tle case. It should be stated here that the locking bars may be made of wood, but I prefer to employ metal and thereby avoid the annoyances attendant upon the ex ansion, contraction and warping of a woo en bar. Any suitable means may be employed for securingthe locking bar in operating position, so long as the means employed permit the bar to be operatively removed from the locking position to liberate the bottles and to open the case to receive bottles. The bar may, if desired, be actually removable from the case, or it may be hinged at one end and secured by a suitable latch at theoth'er. Objections may however, be urged against all such constructions, and I have therefore chosen to make the locking devices actual permanent parts or members ofthe bottle case. I accomplish this b providing the metal bar, 8, with convex e ges, 9, and then pivoting the bar upon its longitudinal axis, arranging bosses or journals, 10, at the ends of the bar for engagement with pivot screws, 12-12, provided in the ends, 3-3 of the case. It will be obvious that the bar thus pivoted may be turned into either a vertical or a horizontal position. In the vertical 0- sition, see dotted lines Figs. 3 and 4, the ar is entirely within the planes of the sides of the underlying partition, 5, and in such position, does not interfere with the insertlon or removal of a bottle or bottles. In its horizontal position, the bar, 8, projects beyond the side planes of the artltion, 5, and therefore overhangs the s oulders of the bottles in the compartments adjacent to said partition. The bases of the bottle necks are curved and this permits the bar to be turned readily in either direction.

The dimensions of the bottle case, the compartments therein and of the bars corres 0nd to the dimensionsfof the bottles to be he (1 in the case, and the construction is such that the locking bars quite firmly engage the necks of: the bottles to prevent vertical movement thereof in the box or case. If desired,

a locking bar or'movable device may be provided u on each side, 2, of the case, but instead tl iereof I use small downwardly extending side springs, 2, to an age the bottles of the outer rows, and, aided y these, I find that two bars are sufiicient to secure all of the.

.bottles in this manner, each lockin bar is provided with a latch, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The bar or elongated locking frame, 8, is provided with two holes at the end to admit the ends of the forked latch, 13. This latch has a stem, 13, slidably held in one of the cross ortions or bars, 8, and a spring, 14 arranged etween the fork and the part, 8, thrusts the latch outward. Locking bar, 8, is usually made of malleable iron, and the ortion, 8, is provided with lips or lugs, 8". Ihe stem 13, of the latch fork is placed in the notch in the cross portion 8 after the ends of the fork have been thrust through the holes inthe end of the bar, 8; the lips, 8", are then peened or turned over the stem, 13', to retain the same in the cross portion, 8, as shown in Fig. 5. By this construction I am able to avoid making the latch in two parts. The movement of the latch in the bar, 8, is

limited bystop lugs, 15 and 16 upon the latch and the bar, respectively. On the end, 3, of the case is a metal plate, 11, containing holes corresponding to the locked position of the latch, and when the bar is turned to the horizontal position, the ends of the fork s ring outward into the holes in the end of the case, thereby firmly securing the locking bar against rotation. The outward movement of the latch is preferably limited b shoulders, 13", u on the fork (see Fig. 5). t will be obvious t at the latch may be readily withdrawn and that when the same is disengaged from the end of the case, the locking bar may be rotated to the verticalposition to open the bottle compartments. 'lhe case is preferably provided with hand-holes, 17, in its sides and ends, (see Figs. 2 and 3).

As it is obvious that numerous modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not confine my invention to the specific constructions herein shown and described.

. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A bottle case, comprising sides and ends, in combination with parts dividing the lower part of the inclosure thus formed into a plurality of compartments, a rockable bottle locking bar trunnioned in said case above said compartments, parallel with a row thereof and adapted in one position to lock the bottles in said case, and a bar latch for securing the bar in locked position, substantially as described.

2. A bottle case, containing a plurality of bottle compartments, in combination with an .oblon edges an pivoted u on its longitudinal axis,

held in the end of said bar or frame, and

malleable portions upon one-of said cross ortions for holding the other end ,of said atch, substantially as described.

4. A bottle case, com rising sides and ends, in combination withi ow partitions extending'between said'ends, bottom rods extending through said sides and said partiations, and tie-rods also extending throughsaid sides and ends and with said partitions,

dividin the space Within said sides and ends into a p urality of com artments for bottles,

andlongitudmal roe able bottle-holding bottle holding bar having convex.

bars above said partitions, substantially as described.

5: A bottle case, comprising suitable sides,

ends and bottoms, with partitions, in combination with flat springs upon said sides to engage the bottles of the outer rows in said case, and rotary locking bars arranged in said case to engagethe necks of bottles of adjacent rows, substantially as described. 6. A'bottle case, comprising suitable sides and ends, in combination with a longitudinal partition,- a series of transverse bottle-supporting rods, a bottle locking bar rotatab y arranged in the upper part of the case upon its longitudinal axis, said bar being wlder than said artition, and a slidable latch carried b 'sai locking bar for securing the same in- 100' ed position.

Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. THEODORE -L. VALERIUS.

Witnesses:

'CnAs. A. PEARCE, I I. B. HIPPENMEYEB. 

